


A Train Wreck in Slow Motion

by Loudest_Voice



Category: Persona 4, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, Persona Series
Genre: Cliche, Daily Writing Self-Challenge, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Nonsense, Other, The Random Pairings Start, lots of them - Freeform, no plot in sight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-03-12 03:44:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 5,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3342344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loudest_Voice/pseuds/Loudest_Voice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because Persona Q makes me want to write aimlessly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter: Yosuke seeks validation from his partner, as usual.

"Hey partner," Yosuke says after a few moments of staring at the soles of Souji's feet.

They're in the roof, staring at the tower and making idle chatter about nothing and everything. Like, how come it's never night at the fake Yasogami High? Can they eat and eat and eat without getting fat? Is Nanako all right? Which of the girls Gekkoukan girls is prettiest? On the scale of one to ten, just how cool is Akihiko-sempai?

Then Souji took off his shoes to "get some sun" because he's weird like that but cool enough he can get away with it and next thing Yosuke knows, he's transfixed by how . . . textbook Souji's feet are. Like . . . they're clean and smooth as though he never steps on anything that isn't pristine and they arch in a perfect symmetrical fashion . . .

Yosuke's practically flat footed, which makes him crap at every sport - even track, which he gave shot back in the city if only because a bunch of bullies complained he was too fast and limber. And he's clumsy as a drunken hippo; it's a miracle he hasn't lost his fingers to his own hands yet.

"Hm?" mutters Souji, which reminds Yosuke he was going to ask a question.

"Have you ever met someone so perfect they make you mad?"

"Akihiko again?" asks Souji. "Because yeah, he's pretty hot but all that talking about protein's less than perfect."

"Not Akihiko-sempai . . ."

"Shinji's not as good looking but I'd rather him be my boyfriend," continues Souji. "He can cook."

"I mean - no way!" Yosuke scrambles closer to Souji's head, not content to have this conversation with his perfect feet anymore. "I told you to stop teasing like that!"

"Not teasing," says Souji, trying for indignation but Yosuke's spends enough time not-so-secretly hanging on his every word he's got the way Souji's lower lips trembles for like a second when he's trying not to laugh memorized. Not many people notice, but Souji's a bit of a bastard.

"I'm just saying, if it came down to it, Shinji's better than Akihiko," adds Souji.

"Stooop!" says Yosuke, but he's giggling too, and then he almost slips off the bench but Souji catches him and they end up sort of tangled together and Yosuke doesn't have the energy to scuttle away like he's been burned.

"No," says Souji after a while.

Yosuke's mad because the spell is broken so he has to pull away before all the non-fighting physical contact gets all weird.

"Nobody's perfect, so no," continues Souji. "No one's ever made me feel like that."

Yosuke just grunts. For a second, he's convinced Souji knows _exactly_ who he was _really_ asking about and the Akihiko-Shinjiro mentions were just smokescreens. A part of him - probably the part that became his Shadow - is convinced Souji's secretly laughing at him all the time.

"We should probably go back," says Yosuke. "Before Teddie gets all dumb about Koro-chan and Mitsuru-sempai murders him."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke is not as obsessed with Souji as Rise is. No way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did tell myself this would be a daily thing.

Chie _probably_ doesn't mean anything by it.

Really, it's just not a big deal. She just gets mad sometimes and Yosuke supposes he _can_ be super annoying. But the way she acts, someone might think Yosuke interrupted her in the bathroom just to ask for Souji or something.

Yosuke only interrupted her dumb training session and he just wants to find Souji to talk about the Alice in Wonderland book he found in the school library. Which might be important to their situation. He is _so_ not chasing around for Souji more than Rise-san. And he _isn't_ mad that Souji gets along so well with Minato-san.

Still, Yosuke throat clenches when he spots Minato-san standing close to Souji by a set of windows, hanging on Souji's every word like he's under a spell. Minato-san supposedly has the same power as Souji out in the real world so there's no reason for him to be as ga-ga over Souji as everyone else is.

Yosuke leaves them to . . . whatever they're doing, ideas about Alice in Wonderland all but forgotten. There's a whole bunch of new people he could be getting to know - Yukari seems a little . . . high maintenance and Mitsuru's downright terrifying, but Fuuka might be willing to talk to him a little bit.

Maybe if he didn't spend his every waking moment with Souji . . . or talking about Souji, people wouldn't assume he's just another deluded fangirl.

But Fuuka's deep into some kind of make up thing with Rise and Yosuke doesn't really have anything in particular he wants to talk about. He ends up back in the roof, shoes off to try and get some of the perpetual sun to warm his feet. He closes his eyes; tries to sleep or meditate or whatever.

"Hey partner."

Yosuke's eyes snap open and for a second he fantasizes about being mad that Souji's bothering him but a grin takes over his face before he can even think of some snappy _ugh, go bother someone else_ type of comment.

"Minato and I were talking - "

\- Yosuke's grin falters - 

"And there's no reason we can't set up two teams to explore the labyrinths," Souji goes on, settling down beside Yosuke. "Truth is neither of us is all that special in here so splitting up's fine if Fuuka and Rise can handle it."

"You're still special," says Yosuke because maybe he's still reeling from that last confusion spell from the last time he was fighting Shadows.

Souji's kind enough to let that comment pass with nothing but a tiny smile. "Minato said he'd talk it over with Mitsuru and Akihiko," he says. "I figured I should talk it over with you before telling the others."

It's dumb but there are butterflies dancing all over Yosuke's belly at the idea that Souji considers him on the same level as Mitsuru and Akihiko. "I guess . . ." he starts, just barely processing what Souji had been saying so far. It'd be nice, to work in a small team where Souji isn't constantly distracted by people who want his attention. "I don't know, man. There's power in numbers. I think it'd be smarter if we all just stay together."

" . . . Hm," says Souji and Yosuke has to bite his lip not to instantly backtrack and agree to agree with anything he says in front of the team.

"I guess you're right," continues Souji. "No point in getting everyone killed just because I want to get out of here faster."

 _I like it here,_ Yosuke almost says but then he might have to explain he mostly likes all the time they've been spending together. Souji's time isn't stretched so thin in the fake Yasogami High. There's no basketball team, or weird dates with Ai Ebihara, or acting club meetings and daycare centers, or fishing . . . and Nanako's not - 

\- Nanako!

Damn, but he can be stupid!

"Maybe time doesn't pass normally here," says Yosuke. "Maybe it's like in those science fiction novels were there's like . . . a paradox or something and when we get out of here only a day's passed in the real world and Nanako's just waiting for you in front of the TV like nothing's happened."

". . . Yeah," says Souji and he's smiling tentatively. "Maybe . . ."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes the fighting's one sided and sometimes it . . . isn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh . . . this took a weird turn.

Sometimes, Yosuke really wants to punch Souji in the face.

"You keep talking about wanting a girlfriend," Souji says one day when they're babbling on the roof, "but I never see you actually _talk_ to any girls."

"Well," Yosuke starts, his head going through a million snappy retorts that he wouldn't have the courage to say to anyone, least of all Souji. "It's not like there's a huge supply of girls _here_."

"What do you mean?" demands Souji, his voice something other than even/amused for once. "Fuuka, Yukari, Chie, Yukiko, Mitsuru, Naoto . . ."

"Oh come on!" Yosuke interrupts before all the girls in their group have been named. "They're just . . . they don't even like me."

"How would you know?" Souji's eyebrows furrow and Yosuke tries to ignore a stray thought that he's _never_ seen Souji frowning before. That's dumb, of course Souji frowns. He's only human. "You spend all your time with me."

And that makes Yosuke's belly clench and his throat close up. He has to look away because - for fuck's sake - his eyes are threatening to start _watering_ and he would just _die._ Completely.

"H-hey, if I'm bothering you - "

" - that's not what I meant!" Souji interrupts but . . . fuck him.

He's fucking brilliant. He has to know how much Yosuke's not-so-secretly terrified Souji hates him and is just too nice to tell him to fuck off. _Has_ to.

"I'm just saying if you want a girlfriend," Souji goes on, "you're not going to get one by being with _me_ all the time.

"Hm . . ." Yosuke just wants the conversation over and done with; for Souji to say something hilarious so he can forget the whole thing until late tonight; when he can obsess over the whole exchange until he falls asleep and has a stupid nightmare about it.

"I'm serious!" Souji just doesn't know where to quit. "Why can't you just _approach_ one of them?"

"Like it's so easy," protest Yosuke. He has to fight an urge to draw his knees up to his chest but nothing could force him to look at Souji's face right now (The Tower, just stare at The Tower), though Souji's gaze is so intense Yosuke can feel it burning his cheek.

"You think Mitsuru's so amazing?" Souji soldiers on. "What's stopping you from exchanging a few words with her?"

"Come _on_." Yosuke knees tense up and he has to grip the bench really hard to keep from jumping up and fleeing straight to the deepest nook in the Wonderland labyrinth. "You really expect me to just . . . walk up to Mitsuru and . . . what? Ask to feel her boobs?"

" _Obviously,_ that's not what I'm saying," snaps Souji.

Sometimes, Yosuke feels like he's having a fight with himself when he's arguing with Souji. Not this time.

"Just talk to her like she's a human being!" says Souji. "That's what girls want anyway. To be talked to like they're human beings, not life support systems for breast and thighs."

Finally, Yosuke whirls around glare at Souji. He falters at how _angry_ Souji looks - narrowed eyes, pursed mouth, red cheeks and everything . . . and holy shit is it _terrifying_ \- but fuck him. Who does he think he is talking like Yosuke's some kind of moron?

"Why don't _you_ ask her out if you think she's so amazing?" Yosuke snaps because he's a big fat moron.

"I'm not the one who's constantly gushing about her," says Souji and even smirking the bastard looks hot.

"I bet you're just scared."

"I'm not _you_ ," says Souji and the way he almost _spits_ the last word almost makes Yosuke burst into tears like some kind of dumb _girl_. "By the end of the goddamned week, Mitsuru's going to be my girlfriend."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I forgot to say I have a tumblr:
> 
> http://pathobell.tumblr.com


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mitsuru knows she likes to fixate on details.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got tired of writing from Yosuke's POV. Also, I should clarify I have only the vaguest idea about how to use Japanese honorifics. Sorry about that.

The other Persona users don't exactly put Mitsuru's mind at ease.

Oh, there's nothing particularly _wrong_ with them but no matter how earnest they sound about catching that murderer, they still sound like _kids_. It's like a team brimming with Ioris.

Satonaka and Amagi alternate between common sense and acting like grade school girls. Kujikawa's reliable in battle but outside of it she seems to care about little beyond gossip and Seta. Hanamura might be intelligent but something about him just rubs Mitsuru the wrong way - there's an edge to Hanamura; he's a bit like Iori except Iori didn't set off any alarms in Mitsuru's mind. Tatsumi looks like a deliquent and Teddie is . . . Teddie.

At least Shirogane and Seta appear mature . . .

And perhaps Mitsuru should be a little less judmental. The Investigation Team has more than proven themselves capable and trustworthy and for the sake of being completely honest - at least with herself - Mitsuru has to admit she just didn't like how little authority she had over the new members of the team.

"This new labyrinth's gonna suck . . ." Iori's mumbling as they all stumble into the fake school cafeteria after their first exploration of that strange "Group Date Cafe" they'd just discovered. "I can just feel it."

"But it'll be interesting to find out who Souji-kun's destined partner is!" says Amagi. "Do you think it'll be one of us?"

"No need to sound so excited about it . . ." mumbles Satonaka.

"I'm not sure we should be paying too much attention to that . . . voice," interjects Shirogane, always the voice of reason. "Assuming such a thing as a "destined partner" exists in the first place, then it could be anyone in the world for anyone in the world. The chances of finding Souji-san's among us are so slim as to be insignificant."

"H-hey . . ." says Hanamura. "What if that voice's planning to bring whatever random girl happens to be Souji's destined partner into this world once he runs out of questions to ask?"

"Why so sure my destined partner's a girl?" challenges Seta, which makes Hanamura sputter and go red in the face.

Something's going on between Hanamura and Seta - some kind of lover's spat, maybe? - but Mituru has more important things to think about. Like the growing complexity of the fake world they're all trapped in.

She can already tell that The Group Date Cafe is going to be much more troublesome to get through than Wonderland. The Shadows alone are tougher, never mind the spiked floors and utterly disturbing . . . horsed infants. Can they handle it? With Arisato - and Seta - all but crippled . . .

Everyone else has gotten much stronger though, and it feels easier to use magic in this fake school. Mitsuru's always been a bit of a worry-wart; a necessary trait in anyone who fancies herself a leader, but one that can blind her to life's more positive developments.

"Mitsuru-sempai."

Seta's voice snaps her out of her reverie. Somehow's he settled close to Mitsuru - she could've sworn she sat down next to Shinjiro but it seems like the group's mostly dispersed. Yamagishi and Kujikawa are off in a corner by themselves and Hanamura's at the edge of the table with his headphones on, humming to himself. How did she miss everyone else leaving?

"You speak French, no?" asks Seta.

"Huh? Oh yes, of course." Mitsuru shakes her head. "I apologize, I must be more tired than I realized."

"Don't apologize," says Seta and something in his voice almost makes Mitsuru want to lean on his shoulder. "Do you want to go to the Nurse's Office."

"No need to waste funds just because I'm distracted," says Mitsuru. "You were asking something about French?"

Seta offers her a small smile. "Yes, I was wondering if you could help me learn," he says. "I've always loved learning foreign languages."

This is exactly the kind of thing that concerns Mitsuru. "Seta, we're trapped in an unfamiliar world," she reprimands. "Now's not the time to be working on hobbies."

"Hobbies decreased stress and anxiety, which in turn makes people more effective at whatever they do," shrugs Seta.

". . . You're not incorrect," says Mitsuru. "Perhaps we can optimize our energy levels with regularly scheduled relaxation."

Seta chuckles. "I think _scheduling_ fun relaxation might defeat the purpose of it."

"Actually . . ."

Hours later, after Kujikawa has dragged Seta off, Mitsuru realizes she's never had such a long academic conversation with someone close to her age before.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it isn't obvious yet, I'm writing P4 MC from the asshole dialogue tree.

By say . . . the third question in The Group Date Cafe, Yosuke's certain Souji's just trying to fuck with him.

Not a particularly difficult task, Yosuke can admit, but it's still comical and insulting no one else notices. All right, the Gekko Team doesn't have any reason to see it but Chie, Yukiko, and hell, _Naoto_ should notice something.

But no. All everyone can comment on is how Yosuke's mood is getting progressively more foul.

Except Rise, who's concerned that Souji and Mitsuru are spending too much time together lately.

"I may have been a little out of line," Souji admits the day he says the best way to confess your feelings for someone is to slug it out on a riverbed.

Yosuke heart leaps into his throat - which sounds like something hearts in dumb shoujo manga do, but damn if that's not what it feels like because Souji's at least going to apologize for making fun of him.

"I shouldn't be . . . romancing Mitsuru just to prove a point. She's a good person," finishes Souji.

". . . Yeah," snaps Yosuke. "What would everyone say if they knew St. Souji's acting like the shitty villain in a cheap romance novel?"

Souji cringes but doesn't try to deny it, then slides into the Food Court table right in front of Yosuke. "I'm going to have to come clean, aren't I?"

Yosuke grunts. It's going to be a goddamned mess and there's no way it won't affect their battle cooperation. Drama among high school students is inevitable, Yosuke supposes, but he'd never have guessed _Souji_ would be the one to start shit.

"Or," says Souji after Yosuke only glares at him in silence for a whole minute. "I could _not_ do that and just ask Mitsuru to be my girlfriend."

Yosuke tries to come up with a response for that.

"Best case scenario," Souji continues, "she turns me down and I get to be all mature about it. We could still be friends and everything."

"How do you have everyone convinced you're like some kind of monk?" Even Yosuke would've nominated Souji for a Nobel Peace Prize just a few days ago.

"And if she says yes . . . well." Souji shrugs. "I get a smart, brave, gorgeous, rich girlfriend."

"Whatever happened to treating women like human beings and all that other shit?"

"I would still do that!" says Souji. "I'd be a freaking amazing boyfriend. I'd listen to her talk about whatever she wants for hours no matter how boring. I'd never pressure her for sex but if she wants to do it, I'd certainly deliver. I'm all for Shadow exterminating and pretty good at it, if I do say so myself."

"Dude, what about being someone you love?"

Souji just shrugs at that. "Rise's going to flip out. And Yukiko's not going to be happy. Or Chie. Or Naoto. Not so sure about Yukari but she might be jealous on principle alone."

"What, you think they're _all_ secretly in love with you or something?"

"I wouldn't say _secretly_ ," says Souji.

"Dude." Yosuke hates himself for finding this degree of arrogance kind of . . . hot.

"This'll work out," says Souji. "I'm sure."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Mituru gets a boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's shame Mitsuru doesn't speak gratuitous Spanish and Portuguese (or maybe even a little Italian) because then I'd be able to lend this fic an air of bilingual elegance.

Seta is a quick learner. His accent vanishes almost overnight (in so far as the false Yasogami High even has a night) and soon he's having full conversations in French. It takes Mitsuru a few days to work out what's so charming about it - Seta's less eloquent in French, downright stilted even. Though he's always a man of few words, in Japanese he never stops mid-sentence to frown, visibly looking for words.

" _I want to ask you something,_ " Seta announces one afternoon while they chat on the roof.

Mitsuru nods, then smiles when Seta bites his lower lip.

" _I know we've only known each other for a short time, _" starts Seta, " _but I'm sure I want to know you for longer and better._ "__

"Hm?" Mitsuru's sure something most be getting lost in translation.

Seta frowns and abruptly switches back to Japanese. "I'm trying to say, would you like to be my girlfriend?"

The words barely register before Mitsuru sputters, then looks away in hopes Seta won't notice how much she's blushing. She's his senior, after all.

". . . Not sure why that sounded good in my head," admits Seta.

"You're _too_ forward!" says Mitsuru. Hadn't Seta said something about wanting a woman - or _someone_ since he apparently does not consider gender or age important - to approach him demurely in The Group Date Cafe?

" _You strike me as very direct person,_ " explains Seta.

And it's ridiculous that it makes Mitsuru blush even harder. He's been speaking in stilted French around her for days, hasn't he?

"I'll understand if you say no," says Seta, voice pitched soft and gentle.

"Why would I care if you understood or not?" demands Mitsuru, shooting him at glare. She's not some silly little debutante to be so ruffled by some _boy's_ clumsy proposal.

Seta looks unbothered, as though they're talking about the weather in a perfectly boring high school. He does _not_ look like a teenage boy who just confessed to his crush. It's odd, though no where near as unusual as Mitsuru's lack of knee jerk rejection. It's hardly the first time a boy confesses to her; certainly, it's the most _blunt_ proposal, but no where near the first.

"It might be cause . . . friction among our respective groups," says Mitsuru.

She _should_ something about needing to concentrate on exterminating Shadows but it's just not the first thing that comes to mind. Besides, she suspects Seta would have some brilliantly simple counterargument about how a romantic relationship would actually be beneficial to her mission, much like he easily convinced her to waste at least an hour a day teaching him French.

" _They would be happy we're happy,_ " says Seta.

"I'm sure Kujikawa's feelings would be slightly more complex than that," says Mitsuru.

"Rise exaggerates her interest in me," says Seta. It should sound a little mocking but Seta always sounds airy and carefree.

Much like Arisato, Mitsuru realizes. Maybe it's a wildcard trait, to be always unflappable and relaxed no matter how theoretically stressful the situation.

Seta smiles at her and Mitsuru smiles back. Without meaning to, she's leaning forward and closes her eyes. His lips brush hers gently and then his arm is around her. Mitsuru is tense for a second and then she's sliding her head under his chin. She blushes when she catches herself wishing the kiss had been longer.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Rise finds out.

Pining after Souji-sempai is fun.

Rise doesn't explain it to anyone because she knows it's weird. What kind of freak _wants_ their crush to remain unattainable?

Rise, that's who. She's probably still working through some of the ickyness of being some kind of . . . sex fantasy for creepy old men or something, because she _loves_ the idea of expressing interest in someone obviously smitten with someone else. That's she's the only one who seems to notice he's smitten is just a convenient bonus.

She doesn't hold it against the team that they don't seem to see it. She admits it's difficult to notice how Souji-sempai's eyes soften whenever Yosuke-sempai puts his foot in his mouth. Or how Yosuke-sempai's always the one he turns to, and not just for investigation stuff, but for silly things like homework he certainly doesn't need help with and private speculations about . . . Rise doesn't know, actually. Whatever it is that Souji-sempai likes.

Besides, Yosuke-sempai's just so . . . uncool. Practically the opposite of Souji-sempai, who'd probably look comfortable with himself if someone set him on fire. Point is, Rise's sure that if Yosuke-sempai eased up on his unnecessary and obviously defensive jabs at Kanji-kun, then Souji-sempai would confess to him. Or, more likely, manipulate him into confessing his true feeling because Yosuke-sempai's massive Souji-complex is so obvious even Chie-sempai can see it.

Which is why Rise's shocked gasp when Mitsuru-sempai very matter-of-factly announces that she and Seta-san (that's what she called him) "have started a romantic relationship" is mostly genuine.

". . . Shouldn't you call him by his first name, then?" Shinjiro-sempai asks after everyone's staring for a full minute.

"She calls me that in private," Souji-sempai interjects quickly. He's standing by Mitsuru-sempai's side with his hands by his back. Comfortable, at least more so than Mitsuru-sempai who seems like she's expecting a catastrophe at any moment. Souji-sempai always looks comfortable, but shouldn't he put his arm around Mitsuru-sempai or something?

"Well . . ." says Akihiko-sempai. "Congratulations?"

Souji-sempai smiles and Mitsuru-sempai lets out a little sigh. The slide into one of the tables and slowly the conversation around the table is revived.

Rise wonders if she's the only who notices that Yosuke-sempai hasn't said a word.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Souji tries very hard not to be a dick, but it's just so easy most of the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My triumphant return to fanfiction. Again.
> 
> I haven't written in so long this is probably going to blow.

Making out with Mitsuru is kind of boring.

It's not that she's bad at it or anything. She's gorgeous, and certainly eager to reciprocate. Souji's the one that keeps the entire affair strictly boob-and-groin free, though there are many times he leaves Mitsuru flushed, her body language making it clear that she wouldn't knee him in the balls if he slipped a hand under her skirt. But he just likes wrapping his fingers in her gorgeous hair. It feels more illicit than anything else he could be doing with her somehow. He likes leaving those thick red locks messy. Anyone who says them together after (Yosuke) probably drives themselves crazy imagining how exactly Souji must have gotten their resident queen so rumpled.

Still, he can't bring himself to escalate. Not unless his feeling for her grow . . . more genuine? He only started this whole thing because Yosuke pissed him off, and he's not so much of a bastard that he doesn't get how unfair that is to Mitsuru.

It's going mostly okay. Until they're messing around in a secluded corner of the library, and Mitsuru climbs onto his lap.

Souji freezes. He doesn't remember that ever happening before, so kudos to Mitsuru on that much. She lifts her mouth away from him, then peers at him like he's a bug.

"I knew it."

Souji shrugs, then places a hand on her hip. Mitsuru glances down at it, so he shrugs again and takes his hands off her. She doesn't get off him, but Souji guesses he better sit still and let her do what she likes.

"You've been using me to make someone jealous." Her face is flushed, and Souji doesn't entertain a foolish notion that it has anything to do with arousal. Not this time. "I should freeze your cock off."

That's kind of hot, but it's not the time to examine why he'd find her more than just objectively attractive only after she threatened him with frightfully explicit sexual violence. He opens his mouth, thinks better than to try some French bullshit, then says "I'm sorry." He doesn't even have to lie.

Mitsuru climbs off him, her gaze still icy, but better controlled. "Hanamura?" There's a hint of _him, really?_ in her tone, and since Souji's been using her for about a week, he figures he has no right to get all offended on Yosuke's behalf.

"I have really bad taste," he says instead, sighing.

"No, Seta-san. I think you just want someone to worship you."

"That, I could get from almost anyone," he tells her, because maybe he really wants to try that cock-freezing thing.

Mitsure laughs, cold and bitter. "What a bullet I've dodged. Good luck to poor Hanamura-san."

This is the point where Souji's supposed to protest that he'd never, _ever_ hurt Yosuke, but . . . well, he already has. And Mitsuru too. "If anyone asks . . . which they will, we parted amicably?" he tries.

"It's the only way to maintain our respective teams' camaraderie," says Mitsuru, like it pains her to admit it. "But I'll be watching you closely, Seta."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shinjiro is gonna wring Seta's neck until that placid smile is wiped clean from his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, I'm back.

"Shinji, come on, we should think this through!"

Shinjiro ignores Aki's voice, as he always does when it adopts that whiny, exasperated-mom tone, and makes a sharp tone. He stops in his tracks, barely feels Aki running into him, and spots Seta himself ambling towards them, nose buried in some book.

" _Shinji_!" Aki protests as he grabs Seta by the lapels and pushes him through a door that maybe hadn't been by that wall a second ago, but fuck it. They end up in a bathroom without urinals. Shinji has enough sense left to hope none of the girls interrupt them.

"What the _hell_ did you do to Mitsuru?"

Seta looks down at him and though his face doesn't really do anything, Shinjiro's somehow sure the bastard is rolling his mind's eyes. "Mitsuru and I came to mutual agreement," he says.

"Shinji, let him _go_!" Aki grabs his arm and, damn his strength to hell, pulls Shinjiro backwards. "You think Mitsuru wants you to make a scene?"

No, of course not. Mitsuru had been embarrassed enough when he and Aki found her crying softly to herself. She'd tried to pass the whole thing as stress about being trapped in the labyrinths, but her cheeks got redder and her breath caught when Aki asked if she wanted him to go looking for Seta.

"Mitsuru doesn't want our . . . falling out to affect our respective teams' cooperation," says Seta.

"Shinji!"

He growls as Aki holds him back. "Goddammit," he hisses without taking his eyes off Seta's placid expression. "He started this whole thing, made Mitsuru--" come out of her shelf, but there's no need to further stroke Seta's ego, "and for what? To amuse himself."

"It wasn't to amuse myself," says Seta.

Aki's grip on his shoulders tightens.

"Then why?"

"That's none of your business."

Aki does have to hold him back at that. "Let go!" Shinji shouts. "Why aren't you madder?"

"I _am_ mad," says Aki, shooting Seta a brief glare, "but I also know these things just . . . happen, and sometimes it's not really anyone's fault exactly."

"This time's pretty much my fault, though," admits Seta.

"Shut the fuck up," says Shinjiro. If he's not gonna bother to sound even a little sad or regretful, why even bother?

"Regardless," says Aki, "Mitsuru asked us to stay out of it. And that's what we should do."

Shinjiro glares at Seta, lets out an angry breath, then pushes out of the bathroom. Aki follows him but has the good sense not to try and talk to him. Maybe he did overreact; maybe it really wasn't anything but a typical high school romance gone wrong.

Except that Mitsuru wasn't a typical high school girl. For years, she'd fully dedicated herself to hunting Shadows, ignoring any crushes and turning down every fool who worked up the courage to approach her. It burned that the first person who'd convinced her to ease up and enjoy herself turned out to be . . .

What exactly?

Shinjiro wasn't sure, but from that moment forward, he'd keep an eye out for Yasogami's Wild Card.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this may have gotten a little too serious on me.
> 
> Anyway, I made a [new blog](http://www.dynamicallyopposed.com/).


End file.
